Editor’s note: Ratings by the Motion Picture Association of America are: (G) for general audiences; (PG) parental guidance urged because of material possibly unsuitable for children; (PG-13) parents are strongly cautioned to give guidance for attendance of children younger than 13; (R) restricted, younger than 17 admitted only with parent or adult guardian; (NC-17) no one younger than 17 admitted.
Opening in Hollywood this week
“Begin Again” — Reeling from a breakup with her musical partner and longtime boyfriend, a songwriter in New York City has a chance encounter with a disgraced record label exec that blossoms into something more. With Keira Knightley, Mark Ruffalo, Hailee Steinfeld and Adam Levine. Written and directed by John Carney. (1:44) R.
“Bound by Flesh” — A documentary about the conjoined twins and vaudeville superstars Daisy and Violet Hilton. Directed by Leslie Zemeckis. (1:30) NR.
“The Breakup Guru” — An expert who has helped more than 2,000 couples break up has his skills put to the ultimate test. With Deng Chao, Yang Mi and Liang Chao. Written by Yu Baimei. Directed by Deng and Yu. In Mandarin, with English and Chinese subtitles. (1:54) NR.
“Chaplin of the Mountains” — A young Kurdish-French woman travels to Kurdistan to find her late mother’s village and meets two American film students who are travelling in the remote region screening Charlie Chaplin films. With Estelle Bajou, Zack Gold and Bennet Viso. Written and directed by Jano Rosebiani. In Kurdish with English subtitles. (1:26) NR.
“Citizen Koch” — A documentary about the growing influence of corporate interests in American politics. Directed by Carl Deal and Tia Lessin. (1:26) NR.
“Code Black” — A documentary following a team of young doctors-in-training as they work in the “C-Booth,” the trauma bay of Los Angeles County Hospital. Directed by Ryan McGarry. (1:28) NR.
“A Coffee in Berlin” — A twentysomething law-school dropout drifting through Berlin is forced to reconsider his ways after being cut off financially by his father and rebuffed by his girlfriend. With Tom Schilling, Friederike Kempter and Marc Hosemann. Written and directed by Jan Ole Gerster. In German with English subtitles. (1:25) NR.
“The Internet’s Own Boy: The Story of Aaron Swartz” — A documentary about programming prodigy and information activist Aaron Swartz, who helped develop the Internet protocol RSS and co-founded the website Reddit. Directed by Brian Knappenberger. (1:45) NR.
“La Bare” — A documentary about the most popular male strip club in the world, La Bare Dallas. Directed by Joe Manganiello. (1:30) R.
“Manakamana” — A documentary about pilgrims traveling via cable car to an ancient Hindu temple in Nepal. Directed by Stephanie Spray and Pacho Velez. In Nepali and English, with English subtitles. (1:58) NR.
“Nothing Bad Can Happen” — A young man involved with the underground Christian punk movement falls in with a dysfunctional family that tests his seemingly unwavering faith. With Julius Feldmeier, Sascha Alexander Gersak and Annika Kuhl Written and directed by Katrin Gebbe. In German with English subtitles. (1:45) NR.
“One Candle, Two Candles” — A young Kurdish woman rebels against her forced marriage to an elderly businessman and endures brutal punishment. With Enwer Shekhani, Katrin Ender and Hisen Hesen. Written and directed by Jano Rosebiani. In Kurdish with English subtitles. (1:31) NR.
“Postman Pat” — A humble postman competing on a TV talent contest grapples with newfound fame and runs afoul of a devious plot to take over the world in this animated movie. With the voices of Stephen Mangan, Jim Broadbent and Rupert Grint. Written by Kim Fuller and Annika Bluhm. Directed by Mike Disa. (1:25) NR.
“Radio Free Albemuth” — In an alternate reality, a Berkeley record-store clerk experiencing strange visions from an extraterrestrial source uproots his family and becomes a successful music executive with a secret mission to overthrow the government. With Jonathan Scarfe, Shea Whigham and Alanis Morissette. Written and directed by John Alan Simon. (1:51) R.
“Redemption Trail” — The daughter of a murdered Black Panther revolutionary living off the grid on a Sonoma vineyard has her hermetic life interrupted when she gives reluctant shelter to a desperate young woman who has attempted suicide in a nearby forest. With Lily Rabe, LisaGay Hamilton and Hamish Linklater. Written and directed by Britta Sjogren. (1:31) NR.
“Snowpiercer” — In a world where a failed global-warming experiment has killed off most life on the planet and the final survivors reside aboard a train that travels around the frozen globe, the oppressed passengers in the rear section of the train revolt against the elites upfront. With Chris Evans, Jamie Bell and Tilda Swinton. Written by Bong Joon-ho and Kelly Masterson. Directed by Bong. (2:06) R.
“They Came Together” — A corporate executive for a large candy store chain is tasked with shutting down a mom-and-pop sweet shop run by a woman he’s falling for. With Amy Poehler, Paul Rudd and Ed Helms. Written by Michael Showalter and David Wain. Directed by Wain. (1:24) R.
“Transformers: Age of Extinction” — Three years after an epic battle has forced the shape-shifting robots known as Transformers into hiding, a garage inventor makes a startling discovery and gets caught up in a battle for the fate of Earth. With Mark Wahlberg, Stanley Tucci, Kelsey Grammer and Sophia Miles. Written by Ehren Kruger. Directed by Michael Bay. In 3-D and Imax. PG-13.
“Under the Electric Sky” — A documentary following five individuals journeying to the Electric Daisy Carnival in Las Vegas, one of the largest music festivals in the U.S. Directed by Dan Cutforth and Jane Lipsitz. In 3-D. (1:25) PG-13.
“Violette” — A biopic about the trailblazing French author and feminist Violette Leduc. With Emmanuelle Devos, Sandrine Kiberlain and Olivier Gourmet. Written by Martin Provost, Marc Abedelnour and Rene de Ceccatty. Directed by Provost. In French with English subtitles. (2:18) NR.
“Yves Saint Laurent” — A biopic about the iconic fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent, who at age 21 was unexpectedly called upon to oversee the Paris fashion house of Christian Dior. With Pierre Niney, Guillaume Gallienne and Charlotte Le Bon. Written by Marrie-Pierre Huster, Jalil Lespert and Jacques Fieschi. Directed by Lespert. (1:46) R.
Also in theaters
“The Amazing Spider-Man 2” — The wall-crawling superhero Spider-Man tries to balance his ordinary life as Peter Parker with his extraordinary responsibilities, while confronting powerful new enemies. Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Jamie Foxx and Dane DeHaan. Written by Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci and Jeff Pinkner. Directed by Marc Webb. In 3-D and Imax. (2:22) PG-13.
“Blended” — After a disastrous blind date, two single parents hope to never see each other again but end up stuck on the same family vacation with their respective children. With Adam Sandler, Drew Barrymore, Kevin Nealon and Terry Crews. Written by Ivan Menchell and Clare Sera. Directed by Frank Coraci. (1:57) PG-13.
“Chef” — Having quit his job at a prominent restaurant over refusing to compromise his creative integrity, a chef teams with his ex-wife and son to start his own food truck. With Jon Favreau, Sofia Vergara and John Leguizamo. Written and directed by Favreau. (1:55) NR.
“Edge of Tomorrow” — During an alien invasion in the near future, an inexperienced soldier is dropped into battle and promptly killed, only to wake up in a time loop and relive the battle over and over again, inching closer to victory each time. With Tom Cruise, Emily Blunt, Bill Paxton and Brendan Gleeson. Written by Christopher McQuarrie, Jez Butterworth and John-Henry Butterworth. Directed by Doug Liman. In 3-D and Imax. (1:53) PG-13.
“The Fault in Our Stars” — Two teenagers meet and fall in love at a cancer support group in this adaptation of the novel by John Green. With Shailene Woodley, Ansel Elgort, Laura Dern and Sam Trammell. Written by Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber. Directed by Josh Boone. (2:05) PG-13.
“Godzilla” — The titanic monster Godzilla rises to restore balance to the natural order as humanity stands defenseless in this reboot of the famous kaiju franchise. With Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Ken Watanabe, Elizabeth Olsen and Juliette Binoche. Written by Max Borenstein. Directed by Garteh Edwards. In 3-D and Imax. (2:03) PG-13.
“How to Train Your Dragon 2” — A young Viking and his faithful dragon must protect both their kind from a power-hungry conqueror in this sequel to the 2010 animated film. With the voices of Jay Baruchel, Gerard Butler, Kit Harington and Cate Blanchett. Written and directed by Dean DeBlois. In 3-D. (1:45) PG.
“Jersey Boys” — Four young men from the wrong side of the tracks in New Jersey come together to form the ’60s rock group the Four Seasons in this adaptation of the Tony-winning musical. With John Lloyd Young, Erich Bergen, Michael Lomenda and Vincent Piazza. Written by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice. Directed by Clint Eastwood. (2:14) R.
“Maleficent” — A retelling of the classic “Sleeping Beauty” tale from the perspective of the villainess Maleficent, who suffered a betrayal that turned her once-pure heart to stone. With Angelina Jolie, Sharlto Copley, Elle Fanning and Sam Riley. Written by Linda Woolverton. Directed by Robert Stromberg. In 3-D and Imax. (1:37) PG.